Users of FAST ESP have become increasingly concerned since the purchase of Fast Search and Transfer by Microsoft in 2008. The discontinuation of the Linux platform and the subordination of FAST features into Sharepoint have created a greater sense of urgency to seek out alternatives. Many FAST ESP users are considering open source enterprise search based on Apache Solr as an option. This roundtable discussion will provide valuable insights for search users looking to make the change to Solr.

The panel covers factors driving the need for a FAST ESP alternatives, differences between FAST and Solr, typical migration project lifecycle & methodology, complementary open source tools, migration pro's & con's, best practices and customer examples, and recommended next steps.